


Je te vois (reflections from a bed)

by ClaraCivry (Kat_Of_Dresden)



Category: Beauty and the Beast (2017), Beauty and the Beast - All Media Types
Genre: Basically Belle watches her man while he sleeps, Beast is insecure, Belle is in love, F/M, Fluff, Nightmares, Post-Movie(s), Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, a tiny bit of angst, but mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 13:38:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10387866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Of_Dresden/pseuds/ClaraCivry
Summary: Belle watches her prince while he sleeps, while she's in bed, next to him.Fluff and a bit of character study for beast, set some time after the movie.





	

She watched him sleep, almost every night, and watched him, taking it all in, as if it was the first time she saw him. Marvelling at his presence, so close, so... hers.

 

He always slept on his side, with his face to her and she often fell asleep after him, after reading for a while in bed. And there he was, when she put the book down on the nightstand, her sleeping prince, soft breaths coming up and down, peaceful, calm. She loved watchin him like this, so free, so careless, so liberated from what was expected of him, form who he'd been and who he was supposed to be. Free from all the burdens.

 

The burden of his royal position, the burden of having carried the fate of all the inhabitants of the castle on his shoulders, the bitter legacy of mistreatment and cruelty his father had left him, the pain of his mother's death, the loneliness, for so many years, that had been such a part of him. And the self loathing, the absolute certainty that no one would be able to love him... Yes, she changed most of that, but some things still lingered.

 

Sometimes he just seemed more upset or less joyful – because he remembered things. He remembered all the cruelties and all the unkindnesses he'd done and how horribly he'd treated others. How he thought himself above them all. Could he really make up for all that he'd done? He certainly couldn't change the past, and sometimes was afraid of going back to his haughty ways, as impossible as it may seem after the curse.

 

He often remembered how aggressive he was with Belle's father and with Belle too, and sometimes wondered if he did really deserve all of that, if she wouldn't be better with some else, someone who hadn't wronged her and her family so grievously. She smiled and told him and that there was no one else she would rather be with, but still. He put her in a cell. That was so wrong.

 

The memory of his father and his treatment of him and the rest of the people in the castle was a troublesome memory, too. The more time passed, the more he felt they'd all been used and abused by that man, and every act he thought was love, now revealed itself as strategic aggression and disdain. He'd hated him, and yet had become something very similar to him before he'd been cursed.

 

Some other times it was his time as a beast that haunted him, specially at night. He would be restless in bed, moving constantly, a distressed expression marring his features and let out small whimpers and moans, even some little screams. Sometimes he woke up with tears across his cheeks, without being fully aware of having been crying. The good days were when he couldn't remember what his dreams had been like. But not all days were good days.

 

There were some nights were the dreams were extremely vivid. He was in his beast form again, and Belle never returned. All the people in the castle lost their lives, because of him, and everything withered and died, while he was forever fogotten in that wasteland. Other times it was them, the people from the castle who turned against him and gave him a well-deserved death, for making them cursed, and it was slow and painful. Sometimes he dreamt that Belle was killed by the wolves. Sometimes he dreamt that he killed her and her blood stained his mouth.

 

He never wanted to discuss the nightmares with Belle, as he felt it was unfair to burden her with his troubles. He wanted to bring her only joy and good moments, after their more than rocky beginnings. But Belle wasn't dumb, and she what happened and worried, so in the end they discussed the dreams and his insecurities. She did her best to reassure him, but could tell that there was still a long road to travel until he fully believed her. It was all right, she wanted to be there every step of the way. She loved him, in joy and sorrow.

 

Of course, it was not an ideal love story, far from it. Neither of them were perfect, and they both had strong personalities, which that sometimes they clashed. But their anger never lasted too long, they always found a way to compromise, a way into each other's arms. Belle didn't like going to bed angry, so she tried to solve any issues by nightfall. So that she could sleep properly, and him as well.

 

That night, the sky was full of stars and everything was peaceful. No storm clouds, no howling wolves, no bad dreams. She wished she could stay in that night forever, warm under the bedding, looking at her beloved.

 

It had taken a bit of getting used to, when he transformed back into human. She had known him as the beast, had fallen in love with him when he was covered in fur and had horns. Although she could still see the man she'd grown to love in his eyes and expressions, his body had changed completely, and sometimes he felt like a stranger. At first, that is. With time, slowly but surely, she'd grown accostumed to the man before her.

 

The blonde hair, usually so nea, but all messy when he slept. His gentle hands, smaller that they had been, but with that gentle touch she remembered. His chest, his heart, his nose and motuh, all of him. Even his eyelashes. She loved seeing so untroubled while he slept, and she wanted to take in all of him. So maybe it was a bit ridiculous to be so in love, maybe it was too much. But who cared? Not her.

 

As long as they had each other, she would be happy, just looking at him, remembering everything they'd gone through to be together, and being grateful for another day.

 

When she woke up the next day, she found him looking at her, with just as much love. There was no greater feeling in the world.

 

And just then, without needing any words, they decided to stay in bed.... just a little bit longer.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you liked! 
> 
> Would love it if you left a comment or some kudos if you did ;)


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